Family law
Divorce, child support, custody, PACS, parentage.
Ask a free question →French family law organises family relationships: marriage, *PACS* (civil partnership), divorce, parental authority, child support, children's residence and parentage. The *juge aux affaires familiales* (family judge) handles most of these disputes.
The separation of a couple raises concrete legal questions: division of property, child support, children's residence and the exercise of parental authority. A divorce can be amicable (by mutual consent) or contested.
The child's best interests guide every decision on custody and contact. Family mediation often offers a less adversarial alternative to court. Our guides detail each procedure and its cost.
All articles: family law
30 articlesFor many families from Muslim cultures or with ties to Maghreb countries, welcoming a child deprived of family…
Read →During a separation or divorce, deciding on child custody arrangements is often the source of the most intense…
Read →With an aging population, the question of financial support for dependent parents has become a major concern f…
Read →Since the Modernisation of 21st Century Justice Act, which came into force on November 1, 2017, couples wishin…
Read →Uniting for life, and even beyond. While the idea of marrying a deceased person may sound like dark romanticis…
Read →When a loved one — an aging parent, an adult child with a disability, or a spouse who has suffered a life-alte…
Read →Filiation is the legal bond that unites a child with their parents. While this connection seems obvious to man…
Read →Changing your first name is no longer the judicial obstacle course it once was. Since the Modernisation of 21s…
Read →When facing a separation or an inheritance dispute, the most common reflex is to immediately refer the matter …
Read →The age of majority, set at 18 in France, is often perceived as the threshold of independence. However, when i…
Read →Receiving a letter from the Caisse d'Allocations Familiales (CAF - French family allowance fund) announcing a …
Read →Getting married is a lifelong commitment, but it is also a major legal act that establishes a matrimonial regi…
Read →Marriage is a major milestone in one's personal life, but when it unites two people of different nationalities…
Read →When faced with a parent losing their independence, the worsening of a cognitive illness, or the onset of a di…
Read →The sudden departure of a child, taken by one parent without the consent of the other, is one of the most dist…
Read →In France, the family unit is protected by law, and the bond between generations is considered a fundamental p…
Read →Contrary to marriage or a PACS (pacte civil de solidarité, a civil solidarity pact), concubinage (or union lib…
Read →Introduced by the law of 15 November 1999, the Pacte civil de solidarité (PACS - civil solidarity pact) has es…
Read →Changing your civil identity was long an uphill battle in France, reserved only for those who could justify a …
Read →Adoption is an extraordinary human journey, but it is also a highly complex legal process. Whether you are wel…
Read →The birth of a child is a major legal event that triggers the application of specific rules to establish paren…
Read →In the face of domestic violence—whether physical, psychological, verbal, or economic—French law offers rapid …
Read →Divorce marks the end of a union, but it also brings major financial consequences that can disrupt the daily l…
Read →The separation of parents, whether they are married, in a PACS (civil partnership) or cohabiting, does not bre…
Read →During a separation or divorce, the question of child custody is often the most painful and complex to resolve…
Read →During a separation or divorce, the question of child custody is often the source of the greatest questions an…
Read →The separation of parents, whether they are married, in a PACS (civil partnership) or cohabiting, inevitably r…
Read →Mutual consent divorce, often referred to as an "amicable divorce" (divorce à l'amiable), has undergone a prof…
Read →Divorce is a complex life stage, both emotionally and legally. In France, family law has evolved significantly…
Read →In France, romantic partnerships are governed by three distinct legal frameworks: marriage, the Pacte civil de…
Read →Frequently asked questions
How is child support calculated?
It depends on each parent's resources and the child's needs. A reference table from the Ministry of Justice gives an order of magnitude, but the judge adapts the amount to each situation.
Is shared residence automatic?
No. The judge grants it if it matches the child's best interests and the parents' arrangements allow it. A disagreement between parents does not necessarily rule out shared residence.
How long does a divorce by mutual consent take?
Without a judge, it can be finalised in a few weeks: each spouse is assisted by a lawyer, and the agreement is filed with a notary.
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